In preparation for the upcoming clash against Manchester City on Sunday, Gary O’Neil is leaving no stone unturned. The authorities assigned for this much-anticipated game have been revealed.
Wolves find themselves in a tough spot currently, sitting at the bottom of the Premier League with just one point from seven matches, ahead of their face-off with the reigning champions. O’Neil’s past strategic brilliance was evident in their previous victory over Man City at Molineux, where his well-crafted three-man defense outmaneuvered Pep Guardiola’s side in a 2-1 triumph.
However, heading into this crucial match, O’Neil is faced with some squad challenges with Hwang Hee-chan picking up an injury during his international commitments.
Goncalo Guedes might have to step up to fill in the gap for Wolves, who are now aware of the officiating crew for the game. Chris Kavanagh will be the referee, with Stuart Attwell handling the VAR duties.
Kavanagh has officiated 17 matches for Wolves, resulting in eight wins and a total of 35 yellow cards shown during those games. As for Attwell, his involvement often stirs controversy, particularly in the eyes of Wolves’ faithful. His VAR decision in a past Wolves matchup with Nottingham Forest remains a point of contention, where a crucial goal by Hwang Hee-chan was disallowed following VAR intervention due to a previous foul.
Attwell’s struggles with VAR are well-documented, having made several errors, tying with Paul Tierney for the most in the previous season according to ESPN. This history may instill apprehension among Wolves fans as they gear up for the City showdown, knowing that every advantage will be crucial for their chances of a positive result.
Recalling past VAR decisions against Wolves, such as the disallowed Max Kilman header against West Ham and the controversial decision to let Carlos Vinicius stay on the field after an altercation with Kilman, the team has felt the sting of VAR variances. One glaring instance was the failure to award a penalty to Wolves against Manchester United due to a challenge by Andre Onana on Sasa Kalajdzic on the opening day of last season, resulting in massive uproar and a missed opportunity for Wolves.
